BAT OUT OF HELL - UK TOUR REVIEW *****

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the regional Press Night of the Bat Out of Hell UK Tour at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking! As usual, I received a very warm welcome at this lovely venue (thank you to Sam and the Woking team!). There was certainly a buzz throughout the theatre, full of fans of the show and first-timers alike, all eagerly waiting for the performance to begin. I was no exception.

Having seen the show previously (on its 2022 UK Tour), I was looking forward to comparing the similarities and differences in this production, which I’m told is a merging of the Australian Tour and the 2022 UK Touring production.

The set is the first thing that catches the eye upon entering the auditorium. As expected, it bears many similarities to the previous touring set and immediately creates the cold, dark atmosphere of a dystopian city's subway system. There was also two huge screens, which later would play a big part in the show, dominating the stage.

Bat Out of Hell is the perfect fusion of a musical and a rock concert. With the music of Jim Steinman—what more could you possibly want?

It tells the story of 'The Lost,' a group of teens who never grow up past the age of 18, and a young girl named Raven who becomes obsessed with one of them—Strat. Her father, on the other hand, is determined to rid the city of this rebellious group, often sending his security to drive them away from his tower. But what happens when his own daughter is caught sneaking out to be with one of The Lost? You’ll have to see the show to find out!

A musical with such a powerful score requires immense vocal talent—and I’m happy to say this cast delivers tenfold!

Luke Street (in place of Glenn Adamson) played the role of Strat—on his birthday, no less! His performance was immense: gripping and eye-catching. His vocal talent was second to none, and his portrayal of the child-like and borderline animalistic Strat was fascinating to watch. I thought he did a fantastic job.

Katie Tonkinson as Raven

Alongside Luke Street, we saw Katie Tonkinson as Raven, who delivered impeccable vocals and a captivating stage presence. Tonkinson was wonderful in all of her scenes, many of which were projected onto the big screens, giving her nowhere to hide, and she rose to the occasion, creating a deep and interesting character.

Rob Fowler plays Falco—Raven’s father. While Fowler’s Falco is cold and stern, we also get to see his fantastic comedic chops. During Paradise by the Dashboard Light, I couldn’t stop laughing—and if you’ve seen the show, you’ll know exactly why. Fowler’s talent doesn’t stop there, though, as we also hear his terrific vocals in numbers like What Part of My Body Hurts the Most?. His onstage chemistry with Harriet Richardson-Cockerline (covering for Sharon Sexton as Sloane) was delightful to watch. The pair clearly had a lot of fun on stage.

I thoroughly enjoyed Harriet Richardson-Cockerline’s performance in this role—she brought heart, humour, and authenticity.

Another standout duo was Ryan Carter as Jagwire and Georgia Ludica-Davies as Zahara—both sang beautifully and gave dynamic, memorable performances.

One of the most impressive elements of this tour is the cast’s energy. Not a single moment felt under-energised. The cast gave everything, and the audience returned that energy. The ensemble was exceptionally strong, executing Xena Gusthart’s iconic choreography with style and passion.

There are so many reasons to see this show: the music, the set, the cast, and the choreography. Special mentions also go to the lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe and sound design by Gareth Owen, both of which are essential to the musical-rock concert vibe. The video screens, with design by Finn Ross, help to tell the story thorough the scenes more intimately by projecting

close-up footage to the entire audience.

Overall, I would 100% recommend this production to fans of the music, and to those looking for something new! You don’t need to be a Jim Steinman fan or a musical theatre fan to enjoy ‘Bat Out of Hell’. It’s a great story, brilliantly told, with a fantastic cast, a cheeky and fun script, and some absolute rock and roll anthems. Bat Out of Hell is the perfect night out at the theatre!

It’s playing this week in Woking until Saturday 10th May (tickets available here) before it rocks and rolls on through the rest of its UK Tour. Information for that can be found here.

Thank you for reading my thoughts on this show! If you’ve seen it, let me know what you thought!

7th May 2025

Robbie Davies | Robbie’s Backstage Bants